With the traditional Western Zone carnival abandoned this season, rather than picking sides from Mitchell, Lachlan and Macquarie to play off against one another, 24 players have been selected to compete in two ‘possibles vs probables’ matches in Dubbo.

Only captain Russell Gardner and seam bowler Chris Novak were picked for the trial match, along with a handful of Orange players and Mudgee captain Steve Knight.

While most of the 10 Mitchell-based players picked performed strongly at the President’s Cup carnival which Orange eventually won comfortably over the Blue Mountains in the final, there were some minor surprises.

Orange superbat Ray Doolan scored just three runs in two matches during the carnival and probably owed his selection to some incredible local first grade form - he currently is averaging over 300 in the Orange competition which includes a double-hundred in his most recent appearance for Waratahs.

The remaining Orange players selected all contributed some important efforts at some point during the President’s Cup but several Bathurst players must surely be considered unlucky all the same.

Chris Albon held his team’s innings together with a 61 in the third-place match against Mudgee while Daniel Casey made a total of 61 for once out as well as taking a handful of wickets.

Gardner earned his spot through 56 against Orange and a quickfire 37 against Mudgee while Novak took 5-76 across the two games.

Mudgee’s Steve Knight is the only other player nominated.

Blue Mountains bowling pair Josh McCreanor and Olly Gaul were both unlucky to miss out after some strong efforts.

Gaul claimed 6-41 against Mudgee in the Mountaineers’ upset win and backed it up with another two in the final against Orange, while McCreanor took two against Mudgee and then 4-51 in the final.